Vehicle-wheel.



R. REININGER. VEHICLE WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED APR.5, 1910.

Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SBEBT l.

u IIAIIIIIIIIIII WITNSES: Q INVENTORI 7, R11: a'rflRalql gar ATORNEYS R.REININGER. VEHICLE WHEEL. I APPLICATION FILED APB..5, 1910. 989,049.Patented Apr. 11, 1911;

2 SHBETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES: I INVENTOR; @dfifi Filcgarfl K511935523 M; JRbM ATTORNEYSFFICE,

RIGHARD REIN INGER, O NEW'ARK, NEW JERSEY.

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. M, F1911.

Application filed s in 5, 1910. Serial No. 553,639.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

"Be'it'lmown that I, RICHARD REININGER, citizen of the United States,residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New, Jersey,have invented certain new and useful improvements in Vehicle -Wlieels;and li'do hereby declare the following to be Tilt) a full, clear, andexactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which itappertains. to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to characters ofreference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

The present invention relates, generally,

to improvements in resilient tires for vehicle Wheels, with moreparticular reference to the adaptabilityof the said resilient tire'tothe wheels of automobiles and vehicles of a similar character; and, theinvention has reference, more particularly, to a novel construe tion oftire possessingall the advantages, withsnone of the disadvantages, ofthe ordinary forms of pneumatic vehicle-tires now in use.

lldy invention, therefore, has for its principal object to provide anovel construction of resilient vehicle-tire of purely mechanicalconstruction and operation in producing the resilient effects, the samebeing preferably elastic, durable and puncture-proof.

ln vehicle-tires, as heretofore constructed, to produce a resilienteffect by mechanical means, the greatest objection is found in the notthat the resiliency is not properly dis tributed throughout the tread ofthe tire, so

that the tread-of the tire can closely hug the surface of the road andat the same time yield to slight inequalities in thefiroad-bed,

such as small stones, and the like, at the point or points of the treadwhere suchsmall inequalities make contact with the same.

This objection is entirely overcome-in my novel construction of tire,and an important oh ect of myinventlon 1s, therefore, to provide aresilient tire in which the resiliency is due to mechanical means, butwhich is arranged and constructed so as to render the,

whole surface of the tread of said the preferably resilient at,practically, any point, thusenahling the tread to snuglty' liugithe roadand yield easily to small inequalities therein, no matte-r with what,point or pomtsupon the tread such inequalities en;

ga or contact.

Other objects of this invention not at this time more particularlyenumerated will be clearly understood from the following de taileddescription of my present invention.

With the various objects of the present invention in view, the saidinvention consists, primarily, in the novel resilient tire for vehicleshereinafter set forth and, the invention consists, furthermore, in thenovel orrangements and combinations of the several devices and parts, aswell as in the details of the construction of the same, all of whichwill he more fully described in the following specification, and thenfinally embodied in the clauses of tlieclaim which are appended to andwhich. form an essential part ofthis specification.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure l is a side view'of a vehicle-wheel equipped with my novelconstruction of resilient tire, a portion of said the being shown inlongitudinal vertical section to illustrate its interior arrangement andthe internal construction of its parts. Fig. 2 is a large detailcross-section of said tire, said section being takenon line 2-42 in saidFig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a larger detail plan View of a portion of thetread of my novel resilienttire.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the hereinabovedescribed views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to the several figures of the drawings, thereference-character 1 indicates the hub of a vehicle-wheel from whichradiate, in the usual manner, the rim or follysupporting spokes 2, thefree ends of which are connected with a rim or felly 3, in the usualmanner. The said rim or felly 3 may be of any desirable form orconstruction. Arranged upon the outer circumferential surface of saidrim or felly 3 is a metallic rim or band 4, the same being provided witha plurality of outwardly projecting seating lugs or bosses 5, which arespaced and staggered in a suitable manner so as to conform with thepositions of the other elements of the tire -construction to bepresently more fullydescribed. Secured upon each side of said rimorfelly 3, by means of suitable retaining rings 6 and screws 7, or otherdesirable fastening means, are outwardlyextending side-aprons 8. Theseaprons 8 are, preferahly made of some flexible material,

such as 1iig sl :i1i, leather, or'o'ther suitable fabric or material.vSecured. respectively to v the outer edges of said aprons 8, by means ofstitching9, or any other suitable fastening means, are inwardlyextending flanges 10 of an outer casing. 11', the said casing beingalsomade of some flexible material, such as pig-skin, leather, or othersuitable fabric or material. The said cas ng 11 1s provided,

with a plurality of perforations 12 extending in rows from side to sideof said casing,

" the perforations of one row being staggered with relation to itsadjoining. rows, preferably,j"1n the manner shown. Arranged in saidplurality of perforations 12 of said casing 11 are the inwardlyextending shanks 13 of suitable treadrpins, the outer ends of saidtread-pins being provided with heads 14, and the latter being arrangedto fit closely with relation to one another. The shanks 13 of saidtread-pins fit tightly in the perforations 12 of said casing-11, asnoslidable movement'of'said tread-pins wi h relation to said casing 11is desired, the movement of said casing 11 being coincident with themovement of said tread-pins, and the purpose of said tight fit being. tomake it impossible for dust, dirt, or other foreign.

matter, to work into the internal parts of sand tire. Arranged withln531d casing 11, and concentric with the said casmg and said rim or felly3, is a spring-band 15, formed,

preferably, of alaminated spring-steel con- I said shanks 13 of saidtread-pins, so that the latter may be capable of a free movement withrelation to said spring-band '15. Arranged upon the inwardly projectingend of the shank 13 of each tread-pin, is a washerlikc men'iber 17, thesame being tightly and.

securely wedged upon the said shanks 13, and beingadapted to restnormally against the inner side of said spring-band 15. The

arrangement of said spring-band 15 with relation to said-rim or felly 3is such that there provided an intervening space 18 betwecn the saidparts. The above mentioned seating-lugs or bosses are arranged andaredisposed 111 such a manner, so as to presenttlnnnsclvos opposite theinwardly projectingcnds of the shanks 13. of the said treadpins.Arrangechbetwecn the ends of the 'shanks li, of said tread-pins and thelug or boss apposite thereto is a coiled spring 19,

one end thereof beingsea ted upon said. boss or lug 5 to retain the samein position, and the other end of the spring being seated around the endof said shank .13 and bears mg against the washer-like member 17connected therewith. 4

From the foregoing description and from an inspection 'ofthe drawings itwill beclearly understood, that each tread-pin is capable 'ofjanindependent vertical,move'-- ment, said movement being resilient incharacter owmg to the support of the spr ng 19, as

will be clearly evident. The heads 14 of said tread-pins form atire-tread of suelra resilien 'v character that it will hug the roadove;

which it moves and .will readily adapt itsel to. the smallestinequalities in the road-bed withoutjar'; and, in fact, in its contactand" actionwith relation :to the road-surface, the

tire closelysimulates the contact andaetion Of the ordinary pneumatictire upon the road-surface, a result notattained by the mechanicallyresilient tires heretofore provided; The spring-band 15 is alsosupported resiliently, due, first to the pressure of the springs 19,which pressure is transmitted to it through the contact of thetread-pins and the washer-like' members 17 when in their normalpositions; and, secondly, to the inherent resiliency due to thelaminated-construction. When, however, such of the. tread-pins as arepressed inwardly by contact with the road-surface'remove the sure of thesprings- 19 from said spring- I hand 15, the latter. at that point tendsto straighten or flatten out thus allowingor aiding the tread of thetire to fiatten out upon the road-surface to perfectly grip or ride uponthe same. There being a considerable portion of the shanks 13 extendingbetween the outer surface of said springband and the heads 14: of saidtread-pins, the latter arecapable of even further inward movement incase a small inequality in the road is met with-, in which case thetread-pins coming in contact therewith move contact with the generalroad surface.- Thus,

it will be clearly understood,that the tire 11 5 tread will surroundsaid small inequality, much in the manner of'an ordinary pneusmatic'tire, without jar or other noticeableefi'ect. I In order toprevent "lateral displacement of the tire upon the rim or fell 3,theshanks farther in, while the tread-pins remain in.

of certain of the centrally disposed treadpins are lengthened to form.elongated shanks 21 which pass through openings,..20' l in said rim orfelly 3, and thence into a chambered portion 22 in certain. of the 'ispokes 2 of the wheel, the said elongated shank's'QO being slida lyarranged in said chambered portions of said spokes. It

will also be clearly seen, that the. construe tion of the tread of mynovel tire, owing to thearrangeinent of the plurality of exposed theshanks of said tread pins being slidably heads l4: of-lhe iread-pins,.is also rendered l perfectly anti-skid in its operation, which is anadvantnge w inhfeiv, if any of the mechanically resilieo tires possess.

I run aware thatmade in the arranger of the various devi. d-parts,asvvell as in the details of the on notion of the same, withoutdeparting from theseope of my presentinvention as ribe d in the foregoing specification, and as defined in the claims which are appendedthereto, Hence, I do not limit my invention to the exact arrangementsand combinations of the devices and parts as set forthin the saidspecification, nor do I confine myself to the exact details of theconstruction of the said parts,

illustrated in ings.

I claim: y i

1. A. resilient tirz for vehicles, comprising a. plurality of radiallydisposed coiled sprin 'sr sp "lob-and, and. a plurality of tread-pinsslidanly supported in. said spring-- hand, each l llifl'td illn beingengaged by one of said springs to resiliently support the same.

he accompanying draw,- i I :2. A resilient tire for vehicles, oompris-'ing a plurality of radially disposed tread pins, each troadpin havii'iga head and a shank, a SIJI'llIg-lJHHCl provided with a plu rality ofperforations adapted to slidably receive said sl'ianlrs of saidtread-pins, a

asher-dike member connected with the shank of each Ureadpin, a pluralityof radially disposed coiled springs, and means for supporting saidsprings, each spring engaging a tread-pin shank and its WilShGl'.

i 3. A resilient tire for vehioles, eon1pr1sing a plurality of radiallydisposed tread [)lllS QllUl'J l'readpin having; head and a shanlg'awring-band provided with a plurality of ierliorations adapted toslidubly deceive said shanks ol hsaid treadpins, a washer-liken'ien'iber nmannelerl with the shank of arch tread-pixn a plurality oilra dliallv dis, ed coiled springs, means for suppbrlinligfsaid springs,earl, sprii'lg engaging a lremlpin shank and ll washer, and a flexibleeasing adapted to envelop said. springs, spring-balm and. U'QZHl-I)lIlH,lat

leaving the heads of said lraad-pins nxposml nne changes may be is andcinnbinations,

arranged in the perforations-of said springloand, a Washer-like memberon the'shank of a said tread-p111, sald Washer-like member restingnormally against the inner surfaces of pin shanks, substantially as andfor the pri poses set forth.

' 5. In aresilient tire for vehicles, the corn I bination with ari1n-band,.of a: plurality of bosses, a pluralityof radially disposedcoiled springs seated upon said bosses, a

laminated spring-band provided with a plu .ing arranged concentricallywith relation to said rim-band and providing an intervening n spacebetween the some and said min-bandit: Wl'llCh said coiled-springs he, aplurahtyof .8 ralit'y of perforations, said spring-band "be tread-pinshaving hembportions and shanks,

the shanks of said tread-pins being slidably arranged in theperforations of said springband", a wnsherdllce member on the shank ofsaid tread-pin, said Washer-like member resting normally against theinner surface of said spring-band, and the outer ends of said coiledsprings engaging respeotively with the inwardly projecting ends of saidtread-pin shanks, and a flexible casingadapted to envelop said springs,spring-band and tread-pins, but leaving the headsof said treadpinsexposed above the outer surface of said'oasin I i V 6. Inaresilient tirefor vehicles, the combination withv a rim-band, of aplurality or bosses,a plurality of radially disposed coiled springsseated upon said bosses,a laminated springbandprovided with a plurality of perforations, saidspring-band being arranged concentrioallywith relation to said rim-band.and providing an intervening space between the same and said rim-band inwhich said (:i'iiledsprings lie, a plurality of treadpins ha vinghead-portions and shanks, the shanks ofsaid tread-inns beingslidablyarrangml in tlioperliornt-ions of said. springband, a Washer-dike memberon the shank of said tread-pin, said washer-likemember rest. ininmnallly against the inner surface of said spring-halal, and the outerondso'f said roiled s 'irinn's engaging respectively with the inwardlyprojecting ends of said tread-pin Sl'lilllltSpU'Hl a soloolml number ofsaid treadpin shanks being: provided with a elongated shank adapted toho slidahly arranged in the folly and spokes oi a wheel to prevent thelateral disphuzenient oi saidtire, substanixially as and for thepl'll'lXX-MS set forth.

7. in a resilient tire for vehicles, the roar hination with a. rim-band,of a plurality of boss s, a plurality of radiallydisposod coiled springsseated upon said bosses, a laminated spring-band provided with aplurality of perforations, said spring-band being arrangedconcentrically with relation to said said spring-band, a Washer-likemember on, the shank of said tread-pin, said Washer-like member restingnormally against the inner surfaces of said spring-band, and the outerends oi said coiled springs engaging respectively with the inwardlyprojecting ends of said tread-pin shanks, and a selected number of saidtread-pin shanks being provided With v arr-elongated shank adapted to beslidably arranged in the felly andspokes of a Wheel toprevent thelateral displacement of said tire, and afiexible casing adapted toenvelop said springs, spring-band and tread-pins,

but leaving the heads-of said treacl-pins exposed above the outersurface of said casing.

8. A resilient tire for vehicles comprisin a plurality of radiallydisposed coiled springs, a spring-band, a plurality of treadpinsslidably supported in said spring-band, each tread-pin being engaged byone of said coiled springs to resiliently support the same, and aselected number ofsaid tread-pins lieing provided with elongated shanksadapted to be slidably arranged in the felly and spokes of a wheel toprevent a lateral displacementof said'tire.

In testimony that I-elaim the invention set forth above I have hereuntoset my hand this second dayof April, 1910.

. RICHARD REININGER; Witnesses:

FREDK. C. FRAENTZEL, FREDK. H. W. FRAENTZEL.

